Sustainable Recycling Industries - Processing of WEEE plastics...Processing of WEEE plastics A practical handbook December, 2019 sustainable-recycling.org [email protected] Turning waste

Processing of WEEE plastics

A practical handbook

December, 2019

sustainable-recycling.org

[email protected]

Turning waste into resources for development

SRI builds capacity for sustainable recycling in developing countries. The programme is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO) and is implemented by the Institute for Materials Science & Technology (Empa) and the World Resources Forum (WRF). It builds on the success of implementing e-waste recycling systems to-gether with various developing countries since more than ten years.

Authors Andreas Bill, Michael Gasser, Arthur Haarman, Heinz Böni

Empa, Switzerland

Publication year 2019

ISBN 978-3-906177-22-9

Acknowledgment This handbook was prepared as part of the SECO funded SRI project, which

is jointly implemented by Empa and WRF. It has been written in close col-

laboration with the StEP initiative and we would like to warmly thank all

those who contributed to its content through their valuable inputs and

comments. This especially includes the members of the StEP working

group for plastics and Roland Weber of POPs Environmental Consulting, as

well as SERI for their financial contributions.

Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) initiative, an independent

multi-stakeholder platform for designing strategies that address

all dimensions of electronics in an increasingly digitized world.

StEP facilitates research, analysis and dialogue among its mem-

bers drawn from business, international organizations, govern-

ments, NGO’s and academic institutions around the world.

Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), a non-

profit organization dedicated to creating a world where elec-

tronic products are reused and recycled in a way that promotes

resource preservation; the well-being of the natural environ-

ment; and the health and safety of workers and communities.

Licence This work is licensed under the Creative Commons At-

tribution 4.0 International License.

Disclaimer

This document has been produced without formal SECO editing. The des-

ignations employed and presentation of the material in this document do

not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of SECO

concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its au-

thorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries or

its economic system or degree of development. Mention of firm names or

commercial production does not constitute any endorsement by SECO.

1

Introduction

When people discard their used Electrical and

Electronic Equipment (EEE), different materials

become available for recycling and reuse. Recy-

cling companies process such Waste from Electri-

cal and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and sell the

sorted materials to refining and manufacturing

industries. In terms of volume, the most im-

portant of these materials are steel, aluminum

and copper as well as plastics. Recovering these

and some other metals is rather uncomplicated

and local markets for metal scrap are generally

abundant. Valorizing the plastic fraction, on the

other hand, is more challenging because the dif-

ferent plastics need to be sorted by type. In addi-

tion, plastics containing hazardous additives

should be removed and individual markets have

to be identified. The purpose of this document is

to provide practical information on how to recog-

nize, process and market different WEEE plastics.

It is specially oriented towards recycling compa-

nies in developing and emerging economies,

where the potential for investments in advanced

technologies is usually very limited.

Users of this handbook are encouraged to im-

plement, adapt and further develop the meth-

ods and processes discussed throughout the

document based on their own requirements.

While utmost care has been taken to collect

precise and up to date information, users

should be aware that the conditions and the

market of plastic recycling is changing very

quickly and that the methods described should

only be performed while using adequate safety

equipment and processes. The authors, organi-

zations and persons affiliated to this handbook

and the sponsoring organization cannot be held

liable for any losses and damages in connection

with the use of the information contained in

this document.

Plastic identification & sorting

General information

Handbook structure:

Potential customers & markets

Process design

Managing non-target plastics

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2

General information

Plastics are very versatile materials. They can be hard or soft, rigid or flexible, transparent or opaque,

light or heavy etc. These physical properties depend on the plastic type, but can also be influenced by

chemicals and other additives. Because of their versatility and the fact that plastics are often cheaper

and lighter than alternative materials (e.g. wood or metal), their presence in products is continuously

increasing. WEEE recycling companies are experiencing this development at first hand, as the share of

plastics in their input material has been increasing over the last years and is currently as high as 20%

on average. Companies that are active in trading and processing of WEEE can benefit substantially

from a successful valorization of plastics, simply because these materials represent a large amount of

their input. In addition, the recovery and recycling of plastics also has important environmental bene-

fits both through the substitution of virgin plastics in products1, and because higher recycling rates

result in less plastic waste ending up in the environment and in lower CO2 emissions. However, there

are two main challenges to WEEE plastic recycling that have to be addressed:

1. WEEE contains many different types of plastics. To obtain high quality products, the different

plastic types need to be sorted before they can be further processed.

2. Plastics often contain additives, some of which are hazardous to human health and the envi-

ronment. The most problematic plastic additives are Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) and

additives based on heavy metals (mostly Pb and Cd). Plastics containing such hazardous sub-

stances need to be removed and disposed of in appropriate ways.

Plastic types

Two main groups of plastics can be distinguished by

their reaction to heat. Thermoplastics soften and

melt when heated and harden when they cool

down again. Thermosets, on the contrary, become

rigid when heated and also stay rigid after they cool

down, which makes their recycling impossible. For-

tunately, most plastics found in WEEE belong to the

first group and can be recycled. However, with

some few exceptions (e.g. ABS/PC), mixing these

plastics in the recycling process has negative effects

on material qualities like flexibility, hardness or du-

rability. The key to WEEE plastic recycling is there-

fore effective sorting, which is challenging as more

than 15 different types of plastics are present in

WEEE and identifying and sorting them is not al-

ways easy. To simplify the task, plastics that are

used most often in EEE can be targeted first. 2

1 A detailed life cycle assessment evaluating the environmental benefits of plastic recycling can be found in: P.A. Wäger, R.

Hischier / Science of the Total Environment 529 (2015) 158-167

2 Plastic composition as determined by: C. Slijkhuis, Recycling plastics from WEEE requiring a sensible and practical ap-

proach on POPs, in: Going Green Care Innovation 2018

Figure 1: Main plastic types used in EEE 2

3

As indicated in Figure 1, over 70% of the total mass of WEEE plastics consists of the same four plastic

types, which can be collected, processed and sold in large volumes. Methods on how to identify and

sort these and other plastic types will be presented throughout this document. These methods can

then be further developed and adapted to target other WEEE plastics.

Plastic additives

Plastic manufacturers often use chemicals and other materials to change the properties of their prod-

ucts. Such additives can make plastics harder, more flexible, shinier, and heat-resistant or simply give

them a certain color3. Unfortunately, the presence of some of these additives restricts the recyclability

of plastics. Some of the chemicals that were used in the past, and sometimes still are today, are known

to be hazardous to human health and the environment. Other additives can damage recycling equip-

ment, or their presence reduces the quality of recycled plastics. In order to safely and successfully

valorize plastics, recycling companies need to know how to detect the presence of problematic addi-

tives and how to remove and dispose of plastic fractions unsuitable for recycling.

Fillers

Plastics are mixed with low-cost filler-materials to reduce production cost.

Some fillers can also make a plastic more rigid or increase its strength,

toughness or heat resistance. Most of these materials are based on either

minerals or glass fiber. Mineral-based fillers (e.g. calcium carbonate, talc,

etc.) are, in general, unproblematic in the recycling process. Fillers based

on glass fiber are used to increase the strength and resistance to bending

of some plastics. Their presence can be problematic in the recycling pro-

cess, especially when the glass fiber content is high.

Plasticizers

These chemicals increase the softness, flexibility and durability of plastics.

Their main application is the production of soft PVC, which is often used

as a cable insulator, but it is also possible to find them in other WEEE plas-

tics. Some plasticizers are hazardous to human health and especially chil-

dren and pregnant women should not be exposed to these chemicals.

3 For a detailed overview on plastic additives see: J.N. Hahladakis et al. / Journal of Hazardous Materials 344 (2018) 179-199

Very high contents of mineral fillers can make a plastic brittle. Such brittle plastics should

be sorted out as they affect product quality.

If a mechanical shredder is used to granulate plastics, it can be damaged when materials

with high glass fiber content are processed.

When glass fibers are cut and shortened in the recycling process, their positive effects

on strength and resistance to bending is lost, which results in reduced product quality.

Plasticizer used to soften PVC

Soft PVC plastics often contain high levels of potentially hazardous plasticizers and must

not be used to make toys or products that come into contact with food or water.

Top: Mineral filler (CaCO3) Bottom: Glass fiber

4

Flame-retardants

Flame-retardants are used to make plastics more resistant to fire. During

their use in EEE, certain plastic parts are regularly exposed to heat, which

is why WEEE plastics often contain significant amounts of flame retard-

ants. These additives can be sorted into three main groups:

Mineral flame retardants

Phosphorus-based flame retardants

Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)

Some flame retardants are hazardous to human health and the environment. Various chemicals be-

longing to the third group are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and therefore especially problem-

atic, which is why their use is restricted by regulatory limits (e.g. PBBs, PBDEs, HBCDD). Plastics con-

taining BFRs therefore need to be sorted out and appropriately managed.

Pigments

The color of a plastic can be influenced by adding pigments. These are

generally inorganic compounds, some of which are based on heavy metals

like lead and cadmium. Heavy metals are toxic to human health and the

environment and their presence in recycled products is therefore re-

stricted by legal limit values.

Flame-retardants are used to prevent plastics from catching fire when exposed to heat

Pigments are used for color

High levels of BFRs can often be found in plastic housings of screens, IT-equipment and

small electronic devices while BFR levels in plastics from large household appliances

(e.g. fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumbling dryers etc.) are generally below legal

limit values.

Different flame-retardants are used in combination with different plastic types. BFRs are

mostly present in ABS and HIPS plastics. As indicated in Figure 1, around 10% of all ABS

and HIPS plastics found in WEEE contain BFRs.

Plastics should be sorted by color during the recycling process. White and transparent

plastics reach the highest market prices followed by single color fractions. Mixed color

plastic fractions are generally less valuable.

Red, orange and yellow colored plastics may contain lead- or cadmium-based pigments.

When the presence of these heavy metals is suspected, plastic parts should be removed

from the recycling process.

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5

Plastic identification & sorting

The first thing to do when targeting WEEE plas-

tics for valorization is to separate the plastics

from other materials. This can be done manually

without difficulties. The result, however, is a

fraction of mixed plastics parts, including many

different plastic types of which some contain

undesirable additives. In order to set up a suc-

cessful business model, recycling companies

need to know which plastic types are present in

their WEEE input and how they can recognize

and sort out the ones that they can sell.

First clues

The more information a recycling company has

about its input material, the better it can design

efficient sorting processes. The specific function

a part had to fulfill, and the product type it was

obtained from, can be used as a first source of

information. Some plastics for instance are used

for very specific purposes and can be identified

because of this. A transparent plastic sheet ob-

tained through the dismantling of a flat screen,

for example, is almost certainly made from

PMMA plastic. Other plastics are commonly

used in some devices, but rarely in others, and

some can be found in almost any device. Know-

ing where different plastics are frequently used

allows to estimate how much of which type can

potentially be collected from a specific input.

Figure 2 shows the average plastic composition

of different WEEE categories4. Although the in-

put a recycling company receives is often varia-

ble, these figures can be used to make rough es-

timates on the plastic composition of received

shipments, as well as educated guesses about

specific plastic parts (e.g. a plastic housing from

a CRT TV is probably made from HIPS or ABS

plastic). It is important to recognize, however,

that the charts represent average values and

that the exact composition of a specific input

can be somewhat different in reality.

4 Composition data based on literature (Wäger et al. 2010) and batch test analysis at Swiss WEEE recycling facilities

Figure 2: Average plastic composition of selected WEEE categories

6

Table 1: Hazardous additives in main plastic types obtained from various WEEE categories. Red: BFR concentration po-

tentially above legal threshold values, blue: heavy-metal concentration potentially above legal thresholds val-

ues, black: concentrations of hazardous additives generally below legal threshold values.

The origin of a plastic part can further be used as an indicator for the potential presence of problematic

additives. BFRs for instance are generally found above legal threshold values in ABS and HIPS plastics

from IT equipment, screens and small electronic devices (see Table 1).

Simple methods for plastic identification

The figures and table above are useful to narrow down the list of plastic types a part might be made

of and determine the potential presence of hazardous additives. However, in order to actually identify

plastic types and sort plastic parts accordingly, additional methods are needed. One possibility is to

use simple tests which can be performed manually and are therefore accessible to everyone.

ISO tag

According to the ISO 11469 standard, plastic parts weighing more than 100 grams should be marked

with a visual identifier. These markers are sometimes difficult to find and interpret, but they can pro-

vide useful information. A complete identifier consists of 4 terms indicating the plastic type, filler ma-

terials, plasticizers and flame retardants. Figure 3 shows the correct order of a complete identifier and

how it should be interpreted.

ABS HIPS PP PS PE ABS+PC PVC

CRT screens x x x

Flat screens x x x

IT equipment x x x

Large Household Appliances (LHA) x x x x

Cooling and Freezing Appliances (CFA) x x x x

Small electronic devices x x x

Cables x x

The letters GF on an ISO tag refer to the presence of glass fiber as a filler material. This can be

problematic in the recycling process. (See section 1 about additives)

Flame-retardant identifiers 14, 15 and 18-21 may indicate hazardous BFRs. Plastic parts with

these markings have to be removed and appropriately managed.

WEEE plastics are often unmarked, mismarked or only show incomplete tags. The information

obtained from an ISO tag should therefore be used with caution.

Figure 3: ISO tag interpretation

7

Sink/float test

The density of a plastic depends on its type

and the presence of certain additives. It is pos-

sible to use these characteristics to separate

lighter from heavier plastics. In fresh water for

instance (density = 1.0 kg/l), only very light

plastics float, while medium weight and heavy

plastics sink. Adding salt to the water will in-

crease the density of the solution and cause

slightly heavier plastics to float as well. The

density ranges in Figure 4 can be used to de-

termine which plastics will float in a specific

solution and design sink/float tests to separate

plastic types of different densities. Sink/float

test require only a bucket, water and some

salt. The tricky part is to produce a solution

with the right density. One way to do this is to

add a predefined amount of salt to the water.

A solution with density 1.1kg/l for instance can

be obtained by adding any of the following

commercially available salts per liter of water:

150 grams of table salt (NaCl) or

180 grams of potash (KCl) or

110 grams of magnesium fertilizer (MgSO4)

Alternatively, a hydrometer (see Figure 5) can

be used to prepare saltwater solutions. Hy-

drometers float at specific levels depending on

the solution density. They can be used to pre-

pare solutions of any density based on any of

the above-mentioned salts. Additionally, hy-

drometers can be used to monitor the solution

during its use in sink/float tests. This is partic-

ularly useful because the solution density can

change with temperature and due to the intro-

duction of dirt and other foreign material.

Continuously monitoring and adjusting the

density (by adding more salt or water) leads to

better results in plastic separation. Inexpen-

sive hydrometers can be found on online mar-

ketplaces.

Figure 4: Density ranges of WEEE plastics

Figure 5: Hydrometer

8

Figure 6 shows two practical applications for sink/float tests that are particularly useful in the case of

WEEE plastics. They can be used to target the main WEEE plastics and to separate BFR-containing from

BFR-free fractions. Based on the plastic density ranges in Figure 4, these processes can also be adapted

and further developed in order to target other plastic types.

When sink/float methods are used to test specific plastic parts, a piece of the part in question can be

cut off and tested in a small bucket. This kind of testing requires only little amounts of salt and water.

However, efficient and systematic sorting of plastic fractions based on sink/float processes is only pos-

sible with input material that has been shredded or otherwise reduced in size. In addition, much larger

containers and higher amounts of salt and water are required to implement such applications.

Application 1: Density cuts for WEEE plastic sorting

Three density cuts can be used to identify and separate the main WEEE plastics:

fresh water (density = 1 kg/l):

If the plastic floats in fresh water, it is either PP or PE. Because PE is rarely present in WEEE, it

can be assumed that floating plastics are mainly PP.

salt water solution 1 (density = 1.1 kg/l):

Plastics which sink in fresh water but float in the first salt water solution are likely ABS or HIPS,

since these are the main WEEE plastics with densities between 1.0 kg/l and 1.1 kg/l.

salt water solution 2 (density = 1.15 kg/l):

WEEE plastic parts that sink in the first salt water solution but float in the second one are gen-

erally ABS/PC, as this is the main WEEE plastic in this density range.

Application 2: Identification and removal of BFR-plastics

A solution with density 1.1 kg/l can be used to separate BFR-containing ABS or HIPS from BFR-free

ABS or HIPS. The presence of BFRs increases the density of these plastics as can be seen in Figure

4. BFR-containing ABS and HIPS therefore sink in this solution while BFR-free plastics float.

Figure 6: Practical applications of sink/float tests for sorting of WEEE plastics

9

Testing physical properties

Another way to obtain information and potentially identify plastic types is

the testing of physical properties like hardness, breaking behavior or the

reaction to specific solvents. Experienced dismantling and sorting workers

can make educated guesses based on the origin of a plastic part and then

verify their guess using such simple tests. With proper training and practice,

good separation rates can be achieved with this methodology.

Reaction to solvents

Not all plastics react in the same way to solvents. The following tests are

based on commercially available and non-hazardous solvents and can be

used to identify certain plastic types.

Limonene is a naturally occurring solvent found mainly in the skin

of certain plants and fruits including lemons and oranges. Only PS

and HIPS react with limonene. When a few drops of limonene are

applied to these plastics, they dissolve slowly and become sticky

after 2-3 seconds.

Acetone is another commercially available solvent. It is less selec-

tive than limonene and reacts with PS, HIPS, ABS, ABS+PC and PC.

When acetone is applied to PS, HIPS or ABS, the plastics dissolve

and become sticky after 2-3 seconds. ABS/PC also becomes sticky,

but a white deposit additionally forms due to the presence of PC.

In the case of pure PC, only the white deposit forms but the plastic

does not become sticky.

Flexibility/breakability

A simple break-test helps to distinguish certain plastics. PS, for instance, is

rigid and breaks easily. HIPS bends and will show white marks at the rup-

ture, but it is difficult to actually break apart.

Hardness

Some plastics are harder than others. PE is quite soft and shows marks

when scratched with a fingernail. PP is harder and therefore more difficult

to scratch.

Sound when hit

Plastics sound distinctive when hit. Since sounds are difficult to describe, it

is best to try this out by oneself with plastics of known type. This kind of

testing works best with larger pieces (e.g. entire casings).

Acetone can usually be bought at drug- or hardware stores.

If pure acetone cannot be found, nail polish remover can serve as a

substitute since acetone is its main ingredient.

Limonene is less widely available. It is, however, often sold in 3D-

printing shops and can also be found on online marketplaces.

Sticky reaction to solvents

White deposit due to the re-action of acetone with PC

Broken PS

Bent HIPS

Scratched PE

10

Systematic plastic identification

Through studying the informal plastic recycling sector in India, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Ma-

terials Science and Technology (Empa) developed a methodology to systematically identify the main

WEEE plastic types and detect the presence of BFRs5. This methodology, shown in Figure 7, is based

on the previously described testing of physical properties and sink/float methods. While it would be

inefficient to apply full testing on every piece of plastic in an industrial process, the methodology can

be used to identify specific plastic parts and thus gain information about the input material. In addition,

it can serve as a useful tool to train dismantling and sorting workers on how to recognize the main

WEEE plastic types. With experience, these simple tests only have to be performed from time to time

while most plastic parts can be sorted efficiently and with good separation results without extensive

testing.

5A. Haarman & M. Gasser, Managing hazardous WEEE plastic additives in the Indian informal sector, 2016

Web link: https://www.dora.lib4ri.ch/empa/islandora/object/empa:18490

1. Limonene test

The limonene test can be used first to recognize PS and HIPS plastics.

2. Break test

A break test allows to further distinguish between PS and HIPS. PS breaks easily while HIPS

bends and white marks appear at the rupture.

3. Acetone test

Plastics that did not react with limonene are tested with acetone. ABS, ABS/PC and PC can be

distinguished based on their reaction to acetone as indicated in Figure 7.

4. Sink/float test in fresh water (1.0 kg/l)

A sink/float test in fresh water is applied on the remaining plastics. The floating fraction consists

of light plastics (PP and PE). Plastics that did not react to any of the solvents and sink in fresh

water are none of the main WEEE plastics and are not identified with this method.

5. Scratch test

PE and PP plastics float in fresh water. In general, floating pieces are made of PP, as PE is not

often present in EEE. To make sure, a scratch test can be used. PE is softer and can easily be

scratched with a fingernail. PP is harder and it is more difficult to leave scratch marks on PP.

6. Sink/float test in salty water (1.1 kg/l)

Some of the ABS and HIPS plastics, previously identified using solvents, contain hazardous BFRs

and have to be removed. This can be achieved using a sink/float test in salty water. When BFRs

are present, the plastic is heavier and sinks in salty water with a density of 1.1 kg/l. BFR-free

ABS or HIPS on the other hand will float in this solution.

11

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12

Advanced identification & sorting technologies

When throughputs are low or inconsistent, purely manual sorting based on the previously introduced

methods is often the best choice. However, if a company processes large amounts of input material

on a regular basis and has access to the required financing, the use of advanced identification and

sorting technologies can become economically interesting. This is especially the case in settings where

labor costs are high, since the use of such technologies results in a less labor intensive sorting process.

Handheld devices for identification

There are various handheld devices available which

can identify the plastic type and/or the presence of

hazardous additives. Different technologies exist with

sensors based on laser beams (LIBS), x-ray (XRF) and

near-infrared waves (NIR). These devices are costly,

can break easily and require training to be used, but

they are efficient and precise and can identify many

different plastics and additives.

Semi-automated identification and sorting

Plastics react differently to electrostatic charging.

Electrostatic separators use this to sort plastics auto-

matically. These separators can often process more

than 1000 kg of plastics per hour. They require, how-

ever, a pre-sorted input (i.e. best results are achieved

with only two plastic types as input) which is homoge-

neously sized (i.e. plastics have to be shredded in ad-

vance). Electrostatic separators require a certain

amount of operating space and incur continuous oper-

ation costs due to power consumption. Investing in

such a device only makes sense if constant and high

throughputs have to be processed. This technology is

also sensitive to moisture and certain salts. When

combining sink/float methods with electrostatic sepa-

ration, table salt (NaCl) and potash (KCl) should not be

used and only well dried material should be fed into

the machine.

Fully automated identification & sorting

Fully automated processing lines combine various

technologies (e.g. optical sensors, XRT technology

etc.) which allows automatic sorting of plastics by

type, color and additive content. Such an installation

is highly efficient but also very expensive and should

only be considered in situations where the cost for

manual sorting is very high and financial means are

sufficient to cover the large investment.

Handheld plastic identification device

Electrostatic plastic separation

Fully automatic plastic sorting line

13

Potential customers & markets

After determining which plastics can be obtained from a certain input and how these plastics can be

recognized and sorted, recycling companies need to identify markets for their outputs. A range of po-

tential customers exists, from small local plastic processors to large international manufacturing firms.

Not every industry is interested in the same plastics, and not every customer prefers the same level of

pre-processing. Some will be happy to take mixed plastic fractions directly, others will ask for complete

housings of specific plastic types, and still others will want pure and shredded fractions, or even ex-

truded plastic pellets. Before deciding which processes to implement, recycling companies should in-

vestigate which products they can sell best and define their business model accordingly.

Sector specific use of plastics

Due to the differences in their physical properties (strength, flexibility,

hardness etc.), the demand for specific plastics depends on the indus-

try sector. A good place to start is therefore to contact producer asso-

ciations of industries where the plastic a recycling company intends to

sell is commonly used. The administrators of such organizations can

often provide information about which of their members might be in-

terested in buying specific plastic fractions. Evidently, one industry

that can potentially process any WEEE plastic type is the EEE-industry

which should therefore be contacted first.

Other industries that might buy WEEE plastics are shown in Figure 8 together with the plastic types

each sector might be interested in. Plastics from WEEE should not be sold to industries making toys or

products that come into contact with food and water. Although some of the plastics containing haz-

ardous additives can be separated, 100% removal of these substances is practically impossible. When

recycled WEEE plastics end up in toys or products such as food packaging or jerry cans used to carry

drinking water, users are exposed to remaining contaminations which poses a health risk.

The EEE industry can process all types of recycled WEEE plastics

Agriculture Automotive Construction

Main plastics: PE, PVC Others: PP, PC

Main plastics: PVC, PE Others: PP, PC

Main plastics: PP, PVC Others: ABS, PC/ABS, PE, PC, HIPS

Figure 8: Plastic types used in different industry sectors

Consumer goods Food & water Toys

Main plastics: PP, PE Others: PC, ABS, HIPS

Recycled WEEE plastics should not be used

Recycled WEEE plastics should not be used

14

Pre-processing requirements

The amount of pre-processing that should optimally be applied depends on customer preferences.

While every additional step adds value to the final product, investments into pre-processing only make

sense as long as there is market demand for the obtained product. Before investing into a technology,

recycling companies should therefore collect information about customer requirements and the prices

that can be obtained for different products.

Entire casings

Mixed: Plastic recycling companies might be inter-

ested in buying dismantled WEEE plastics as a whole

and then sort and process the material themselves.

Hand-sorted: SMEs that produce plastic parts can

often pre-process plastics themselves because they

have to deal with scrap that accumulates during the

manufacturing process in any case (faulty products,

leftovers from the manufacturing process etc.).

These manufacturers might not want to pay higher

prices for processed plastic flakes and will rather

buy entire casings of specific plastic types.

Plastic flakes

Mixed & dirty: Plastic recycling companies which

have the equipment to sort mixed plastic flakes

might buy such a fraction.

Sorted & dirty: SMEs that produce plastic parts with

low quality requirements (fence posts, chairs etc.)

will sometimes use sorted but unwashed plastic

flakes directly in their manufacturing process. Other

potential buyers of sorted plastic flakes might be

plastic recycling companies specialized in refining

plastic flakes to extruded and compounded second-

ary plastic pellets.

Sorted & clean: Manufacturers who produce higher

quality products, but can deal with plastic flakes in-

stead of extruded pellets, will want to buy pure and

clean flakes.

Extruded plastic pellets

International brand plastic manufacturers require, in

general, extruded and compounded secondary plastic

pellets of high quality. When plastic pellets are sold, a

feedback-loop should be kept with the buyer to con-

tinuously improve the compounding formula and

quality of the supplied product.

Figure 9: WEEE plastic pre-processing

15

Laws & regulations

In some countries there are many small and big plastic manufacturers processing almost any kind of

plastic. In others, the markets for recycled plastics are very narrow and recycling companies might

consider exporting some of their products. In both cases, there are laws and regulations which have to

be considered. These laws and regulations determine limit values for hazardous substances in plastics

(BFRs and heavy metals) and regulate their export and trade. It is in every company's best interest to

make sure that their products are legally compliant, because this will allow them to reach better mar-

kets on the national and international level. Using simple methods such as the ones described earlier

(manual pre-sorting and sink/float separation), the levels of hazardous substances can, in general, be

reduced below the currently defined legal limit values with reasonable effort.

National laws & regulations

National laws and regulations on hazardous additives in recycled plastics may vary between countries.

Information on such regulations and the currently applying legal limit values can be obtained from the

national ministries of environment or industry.

International standards and treaties

Various international standards define limit values for hazardous substances in plastic products and

regulate exports and trade of hazardous plastic fractions.

Limit values: EU-regulation: Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS)6

1000 ppm (0.1%) limit value for various BFRs (PBBs & PBDEs)

1000 ppm (0.1%) limit value for various heavy metals (Pb, Hg, Cr)

100 ppm (0.01%) limit value for cadmium (Cd)

European WEEE treatment standard series EN/TS 50625 7

2000 ppm (0.2%) limit value for total bromine

Trade: The transboundary movement of hazardous wastes (including WEEE plastics) is regu-

lated by the Basel Convention.89

6 More information available on the website: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/rohs_eee/legis_en.htm

7 The European WEEE treatment standard is developed by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization

CENELEC. More information available on the website: https://www.cenelec.eu/

8 More information available on the website: http://www.basel.int/

9 More information available on the website: http://www.pic.int/Procedures/PICProcedure/tabid/1364

After January 1st 2021, exports of mixed plastic fractions (with the exception of PE, PP, PET mix-

tures) require the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure9. This procedure states that before

an export shipment containing hazardous substances can leave the country of origin, permis-

sion has to be granted by the country of destination.

PIC procedures complicate exports and often make them impossible. These complications can

be avoided by only exporting pure plastic fractions with hazardous additive contents below in-

ternational standard levels.

In the case of PVC, even pure fractions will be subject to the PIC procedure. This is due to the

fact that PVCs are halogenated plastics, often contain heavy metals as heat stabilizers or in the

form of pigments, and are therefore considered as hazardous.

16

Baling machine

Plastic shredder

Process design

After determining their target products based on input and market analysis, recycling companies need

to design processes to efficiently sort out and process their target plastics according to market require-

ments. Various factors, such as the availability of input material, the company's financial means, local

labor costs, etc., will determine which processes can be implemented cost-efficiently. The optimal pro-

cess design is the one which leads to the required product quality (purity, removal of undesirable ad-

ditives) and state (housings, granulates, pellets) at the lowest cost.

Manual pre-sorting

Dismantling- and sorting staff can identify and sort many plastic parts based on experience and occa-

sional testing. A well-trained team of sorting workers will reach high separation rates with purely man-

ual pre-sorting, which might already suffice for certain customers. Even if density separation or ad-

vanced sorting technologies are used later on, manual pre-sorting can improve the achieved separa-

tion efficiency significantly. Furthermore, sorting plastics by color can be done most efficiently before

any size reduction is applied and will result in higher market prices for the obtained single color frac-

tions. At this stage, it can also be considered to use handheld identification devices to improve the

detection potential for problematic additives and simplify the identification of plastic types. However,

it should be kept in mind that such devices are costly and require regular maintenance.

Baling

When complete housings are to be sold or transported to other facilities, recycling

companies might consider buying a hydraulic press to bale such fractions for easy

transport. The significant reduction of volume will reduce both transportation cost

and the required storage space.

Size-reduction

Unless the intended final output consists of complete housings, size-reduction is re-

quired for further processing of WEEE plastics. Applications such as sink/float sepa-

ration as well as advanced sorting technologies require inputs of similar and relatively

small size. In addition, reducing bulky plastic housings to smaller sized pieces also

leads to a reduction in volume and therefore savings in storage space and transpor-

tation cost. This size reduction can easily be accomplished using a plastic shredder

which will produce uniformly sized flakes of 3 to 8 mm depending on the model. Plas-

tic shredders of varying sizes and throughputs are available on online marketplaces.

Size reduction is often a necessary requirement for further processing steps and reduces trans-

portation cost and the required storage space.

Plastic shredders are useful to process large volumes as even small shredders generally have

throughput capacities of 100-200 kg / hour. Such high throughputs are in general not required

for small recycling companies. It might therefore be interesting to share one shredder between

several companies in order to reduce individual investment, maintenance and operation costs.

Depending on labor cost, a viable alternative to shredding may be to cut plastics into smaller

pieces by hand (e.g. using machetes, hatches or shears).

17

Sink/float separation

The sink/float separation methods introduced in the section on

plastic identification can be developed into full scale sorting of

shredded plastic flakes. If ABS and HIPS plastics were pre-sorted

beforehand, sink/float separation can be used to efficiently re-

move BFR-containing plastics from these fractions. Another pos-

sible application is to separate mixed, shredded plastics into dif-

ferent density cuts to be further processed with advanced sort-

ing technologies (e.g. electrostatic separation). The following

density cuts could be used for such an application:

density < 1kg/l: PE and PP

1kg/l < density < 1.1kg/l: Mainly BFR-free ABS and HIPS with some PS and medium filled PP

1.1kg/l < density < 1.15kg/l: Mainly PC/ABS with some heavily filled PP

1.15 < density: BFR-containing HIPS and ABS, PVC, other heavy plastics

Washing

WEEE plastics often contain foreign material such as dirt or glue residues from stickers. In general,

product quality will improve if these impurities are removed in a washing step. A basic solution (e.g.

based on caustic soda) should be used and waste water disposed of through an industrial sewage sys-

tem. Simple techniques such as a settling tank can be used to re-use the water as much as possible and

keep operating costs low.

Automated sorting based on advanced technologies

Semi-automated or fully automated sorting technologies are often used in industrialized countries

where labor costs are too high to justify manual sorting processes. If high throughputs, stable markets

and the financial means to invest in such equipment are available, the use of technology-based sorting

processes might be considered.

Compounding and Extrusion

If a market for high quality secondary plastic pellets exists, recy-

cling companies might consider implementing this final pro-

cessing step to further increase the value of their products. Pure

and clean plastic flakes are mixed with new additives based on

customer requirements (compounding) and fed into an extruder

where the plastic is heated and pressed into homogeneous and

uniformly sized pellets.

Laws and regulations

Plastic recycling is an industrial activity and as such is subject to local laws and regulations. The pro-

cesses a company implements will determine which laws and regulations apply to its business. If only

manual activities such as dismantling and manual sorting are performed, the legal requirements for a

company might be different then when equipment such as shredders or electrostatic separators are

used. A company should always investigate which laws and regulations apply to their planned activities

and act respectively (e.g. obtain the required licenses for their business).

Sink/float process with plastic flakes

Plastic extruder in a recycling facility

18

Managing non-target plastics

Once the target plastics have been sorted out, processed and sold, the non-target plastics and hazard-

ous fractions are left. Recycling companies need to find environmentally sound solution for these left-

over materials and make sure that worst practices such as uncontrolled dumping and open burning of

plastics are avoided.

Viable solutions for non-hazardous plastics

There are various possibilities to further valorize, if possible, or dispose of non-hazardous plastic frac-

tions for which no specific market can be identified. As a general rule material valorization should be

prioritized, followed by thermal valorization and controlled landfilling.

Recycling

Not every recycling company focuses on the same plastic types and it is pos-

sible that some of the non-target plastics of one company could be further

processed by another. Although good prices might be difficult to achieve

since some of the marketable plastics have already been removed, further

recycling is always the best solution for non-hazardous plastics.

Downcycling

Although the recycling of mixed plastic fractions results in low material qual-

ity, some manufacturers might be interested in buying mixed plastics at low

prices to be used in the manufacturing of products with low quality require-

ments such as wood-plastic composites, plastic chairs, fence posts or others.

Filler material in infrastructure

Waste plastics can potentially be used as fillers in construction materials such

as concrete or asphalt. Although this application results in a loss of the plas-

tic for further recovery and recycling, it does provide environmental benefits

through the substitution of raw materials necessary for the production of

these construction materials.

Controlled incineration

Plastics have a high calorific value and important amounts of heat are re-

leased when plastics are burnt. This heat energy can be recovered either for

the purpose of energy-generation in waste incineration plants, or by using

plastic as alternative fuels in energy-intensive industries such as metal smelt-

ing and brick- or cement manufacturing. The burning of plastics leads to the

release of toxic fumes containing dioxins and furans, which are hazardous to

human health and the environment. Plastic incineration can therefore only

be considered as a good practice if adequate emission control and air treat-

ment measures are in place. As a result, the environmental viability of plastic

incineration is variable and has to be assessed for each individual solution.

Controlled landfilling

If no other viable solution is found, landfilling can be considered. Because the

presence of plastics increases the risk of fires in landfills and dumpsites, only

controlled landfills (e.g. hazardous waste- or sanitary landfills) with proper

management should be considered where care is taken to prevent fires.

Recycling

Downcycling

Filler material in infra-structure

Controlled incineration

Controlled landfilling

Icon Source: Recycle by Angelina-, Downcycle by Vedran Skansi from the Noun Project

19

Viable solutions for hazardous plastics

Best available techniques (BATs) regarding the management and disposal of hazardous fractions are

often defined on an international or country level10. However, in many regions of the world these BATs

are not accessible because the required infrastructure, e.g. hazardous waste incinerators or hazardous

waste landfills, simply does not exist. Identifying the best alternative solutions is often challenging as

long term impacts of such suboptimal solutions are difficult to evaluate and compare.

Hazardous waste incineration

Incineration at very high temperature (around 1100°C) destroys hazardous

organic substances including BFRs. Hazardous waste incinerators operate at

these temperatures and apply state of the art emissions control in order to

remove toxic fumes and heavy metals. At present, the incineration of plastics

containing substances such as BFRs and heavy metals in hazardous waste in-

cinerators is considered BAT.

Hazardous waste landfill

Hazardous waste landfills are equipped with specific control mechanisms to

keep hazardous substances from dispersing into the environment. Such land-

fills often have separate compartments, are equipped with impermeable lin-

ers and a leachate collection systems and should be properly managed. Haz-

ardous waste landfills provide a viable disposal solution for BFR and heavy

metal containing plastics.

Filler material in infrastructure

The use of plastics containing hazardous substances as fillers in construction

materials can be a viable alternative to BAT incineration or landfilling. The

requirement is that hazardous substances are stabilized (i.e. do not leach out

over time) within the infrastructure (e.g. road paving).

Recycling and downcycling

Recycling BFR-containing plastics into products which require flame retard-

ancy, or downcycling hazardous plastic fractions into products in which the

toxic substances are stabilized, can be the most viable solution in regions

where BAT incineration or landfilling is not accessible. If hazardous plastics

are recycled or downcyled due to lack of access to better solutions, it has to

be made sure that these plastics are only used in products with long-term

use and minimal human exposure (e.g. plastic beams used in construction).

Non BAT incineration

Incinerating BFR-containing plastic fractions or PVC in non-BAT incinerators

or as alternative fuels can lead to various issues. Due to the flame retardant

effect of halogens, incomplete combustion is often a problem when temper-

atures are not sufficiently high, and complete destruction of the organic pol-

lutants is not achieved. Additionally, acid gases (HCl and HBr) are formed

which are corrosive and can damage the infrastructure where the plastic is

incinerated. These corrosive effects are especially problematic when halogen

10 BAT guidance for plastics containing PBDEs (a group of restricted BFRs) can be found here: http://chm.pops.int/Imple-

mentation/NIPs/Guidance/GuidanceonBATBEPfortherecyclingofPBDEs/tabid/3172/

BAT incineration

Hazardous waste landfill

Filler material in infra-structure

Recycling & Downcycling

Non BAT incineration

20

levels are above 1%, which is often the case for brominated plastics and PVC. If such a solution is nev-

ertheless chosen to dispose of hazardous plastic fractions, only small amounts should be incinerated

at a time to keep concentrations of acid gases low. Additionally, flue gas treatment (dry or semi-dry

scrubbing with basic absorbents) should be in place to remove acid gases. The amount of POPs that

are released to the environment when non-BAT incineration is applied can be highly variable and de-

pends on the combustion temperature and emissions controls (e.g. dioxin abatement measures) in

place. Using hazardous plastics as alternative fuel in a modern cement kiln operating at high tempera-

tures might be close to BAT in terms of impacts. Incineration of the same fraction in an old metal

smelter without emissions control on the other hand would be little better than open burning.

Sanitary landfill

A standard sanitary landfill is equipped with an impermeable liner and a

leachate control system and landfilling in such an installation can be consid-

ered a viable solution for hazardous plastic fractions. However, when these

controls are missing or substandard, hazardous substances can disperse into

the environment. Although better than uncontrolled dumping and open

burning, the disposal of hazardous plastic fractions in substandard sanitary

landfills should be avoided.

Finding the best available solution

In many regions of the world there are few or no established solutions for waste plastics and fractions

that cannot be sold often end up being dumped or openly burnt. Plastic recycling companies therefore

need to be pro-active in identifying the most viable solution in their local context. A good first step is

to verify which of the before mentioned infrastructures (landfills, incinerators) and industries (plastic

recyclers, plastic manufacturers, metal- brick- and cement-industry) exist on a regional or national

level. Once potentially available solutions have been identified, they need to be evaluated regarding

environmental, legal and financial viability.

Environmental viability

Figure 10 indicates where different solutions are situated in relation to their environmental viability. A

distinction has to be made between solutions for hazardous and non-hazardous plastic fractions. The

figure can be used to compare different solutions. However, it should be kept in mind that the actual

environmental and human health impacts depend on many factors and can be highly variable.

Legal viability

Before a specific solution is implemented, the local environmental authority should be consulted in

order to verify existing laws and regulations regarding the chosen solution.

Recycling companies should always try to identify and implement the best, economically feasi-

ble solution for non-target plastic fractions to protect the society and the environment.

The implemented solutions should respect local laws and regulations.

Plastics shall not be dumped in the environment. They will not degrade for hundreds of years.

Open burning of plastics releases toxic fumes and harms both people and the environment.

This worst practice has to be avoided at all cost.

Sanitary landfill

21

Figure 10: Environmental viability of management solutions for non-target plastic fractions